Tell Virginia State and Local Officials: Block Tolls in Hampton Roads.

In attempt to make up for a road-funding model that becomes increasingly insufficient with each passing day, Hampton Roads is on the precipice of heavy tolls and public-private partnerships. While there is much concern from our citizens and representatives, the response is divided. This petition has been created to unify our concerns and hopefully to reverse course on public-private partnerships and tolls.

The most worrisome aspect is what tolls will do to the local economy and citizens. In Hampton Roads, it will heavily affect small businesses, students at ODU, NSU, TCC, the military who depend on our roadways.

This is a call-out, first, to Hampton Roads, because the tolls are about to be levied on us. However, all of Virginia should pay attention. Why? Because tolls and public-private partnerships have become the choice alternative for future road funding. Chances are the road that you depend on will be the next road to be tolled.

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Virginia State and Local Officials.

----------------Imagine turning on to the road you travel to your work, college, military base, business, or doctor’s office. Unlike the day before, the road you’ve depended on for so many years has just been turned over to a for-profit business. You’ll have to pay a toll every day that over the course of the year will amount to as much as $1,000. But that’s not where it ends. The company that oversees the road has the right to raise rates year after year and spend proceeds on other roads.

Tolls will make our roads insurmountable barriers for some. Tolls will divide our communities. Tolls will divert by some estimates $64 million from our local businesses. We’re talking about public-private partnerships and they’re coming to Hampton Roads and Virginia.

When it’s all said and done, we might be able to say, “Well, at least they didn’t raise taxes.” That will be a bitter consolation when were paying more for roads than we ever dreamed.

Wake up Hampton Roads and wake up Virginia. Tell elected officials today to reverse course on tolls and public-private partnerships and to pay for with taxes just like the rest of the 57,867 mile of roadway. The arteries around our port cities are some of the most economically important roads in the state, and they belong to the citizens of Virginia. Tell them that our roads are not for sale.